Variations in Regulated Cannabis Sales Conditions and Their Effect on Purchase Behaviour: Findings from an...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Cannabis Regulation
• Behavioral Economics

Background:

• Nations are developing regulations for non-medical cannabis markets to address health concerns.
• Restricting operating hours or product variety are potential regulatory tools, but their impact on cannabis purchases is understudied due to limited sales data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of varying sales conditions on cannabis purchasing behavior within a strictly regulated market.
• To analyze how factors like opening hours, product availability, and customer traffic influence purchase frequency and volume.

Main Methods:

• The Züri Can study tracked purchases of 2,507 participants across various points of sale (Cannabis Social Clubs, pharmacies, DIZ).
• Data included sales conditions (hours, product variety, customer flow) and purchase behavior (frequency, volume, expenditure).
• Statistical analyses (GEE, multilevel survival, random coefficient models) were used to assess the influence of sales conditions on purchasing patterns.

Main Results:

• Pharmacies offered longer operating hours and fewer customers per hour compared to CSCs and DIZ.
• Extended opening hours and higher customer traffic had minor effects on purchase frequency and negligible effects on purchase amount.
• Product variety showed only a marginal impact on purchasing behavior.
• Purchase frequency initially increased post-first purchase, then declined over 12 months, while purchase amount remained stable.

Conclusions:

• In strictly regulated cannabis markets, variations in sales conditions have a limited effect on consumer purchasing behavior.
• Legal access to cannabis, under such regulations, does not automatically lead to increased consumption.
• Regulatory frameworks may contribute to a decrease in cannabis purchase frequency over time.